Maine’s water wars aren’t over.

Petitions to impose a new tax on large water bottling companies in the state fell short of the number of signatures needed to send the idea to voters.

Supporters of a petition say they’ll continue their efforts in the Legislature and, if necessary, will try again to place a question on the ballot.

For Poland Spring workers, the petition’s failure provides at least a temporary reprieve from job worries. According to the company, the tax would have put their operations in Maine at risk. The proposed 3-cent fee on every 20 ounces of water extracted by Poland Spring for resale would have amounted to an assessment of about $100 million a year, a cost that could not easily be passed on to consumers in the highly competitive drink market.

Poland Spring, while waiting for the outcome of the signature count, had put plans for a new facility in Kingfield on hold.

Poland Spring is a good corporate citizen and a responsible neighbor. Its business model relies on keeping the environment clean and sustaining the state’s supply of clean water.

While other water bottlers would have been affected by the tax, its primary target was Poland Spring. The proposal would have exempted the first 500,000 gallons of water taken by a bottling company and would not have affected home wells or regulated utilities.

Opponents of the measure can take solace in the fact that there were not enough valid signatures to place the tax on the ballot, but the issue isn’t resolved. As long as the idea is hanging out there, Poland Spring and other water companies will have to consider their business plans with a wary eye on a significant new tax.